By Emamuzo Iboma
President Bola Tinubu is facing criticism for failing to visit Yelwata in Benue State, the site of a recent massacre that left many dead and displaced.
Reacting on social media, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, said a true leader does not make excuses but takes action, especially in times of crisis.
In a post on his Facebook page on Thursday, Obi argued that Tinubu had ample time to visit the affected community and could have easily arranged for transportation.
“One of the consistent principles of leadership is the willingness to make ultimate sacrifices and take risks. A true leader does not make excuses or complain; he shows up, sacrifices, and provides solutions, especially in difficult times,” he wrote.
Obi questioned the justification for the President’s absence, dismissing claims of impassable roads by pointing out that presidential aides and staff managed to access the area.
“Even if we accept that the roads were truly impassable—which they are not, as presidential aides and staff managed to navigate them—what happened to the use of helicopters? Are we saying a nation that boasts of a presidential air fleet could not airlift the President to Yelwata to condole with grieving citizens?”
He further challenged the symbolism and responsibility of the presidency, asking, “If the Commander-in-Chief cannot reach a part of his own country due to bad roads, what hope is there for the ordinary Nigerian who plies those same routes every day?”
